New car sales in Scotland up 15.2% in February

Scottish Motor Trade Association, said while it is encouraging to see a return to growth after a slight fall in January, it warns sales may level off this year after more than two years of near continuous growth

The number of new cars registered in Scotland rose 15.2 per cent in February compared with last year, according to figures compiled by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Its latest figures suggest a total of 5,775 vehicles were registered in February, up from 5,009 last year.

The latest figures mark a return to growth in Scottish car sales after sales dipped 1.15 per cent in January to 12,528 vehicles registered compared with 12,674 in January 2014.

Figures for the UK as a whole show new car registrations rose 11.9 per cent in February year-on-year to 76,958 vehicles registered, up from 68,736 in February 2014, having also increased by 6.66 per cent in January.

On a regional basis, new car sales in Strathclyde – the largest market in Scotland – rose 36.1 per cent in February to 3,102 vehicles registered, and in Central sales were up 23 per cent to 347 and sales rose 17.9 per cent in Tayside to 387 vehicles registered.

However, sales were down year on year in six of the nine Scottish regions in February, with Borders seeing the largest drop at 19.5 per cent, though from relatively low base numbers – from 94 to 76 vehicles registered.

Sales were also down in Dumfries & Galloway (-6.9 per cent), Grampian (-11.5 per cent), Highland (- 7.5 per cent) and Lothian (-6.9 per cent).

In the first two months of 2015, year-on-year sales are down in Borders (-8.9 per cent), Dumfries & Galloway (-13.8 per cent), Fife (-1.7 per cent), Grampian (-3.4 per cent), Highland (-8.9 per cent) and Lothian (-7.9 per cent).

Douglas Robertson, chief executive of trade body the Scottish Motor Trade Association, said while it was encouraging to see a return to growth after a slight fall in January, he warned sales may now be levelling off after more than two years of near continuous growth.

He said: “February is traditionally a low volume month and we are pleased at the level of consumer confidence for February and look forward to seeing the increase continue in March.

“However, it is our belief that we will experience a levelling out over the rest of 2015.”